England snaffling victory: The home team produced a victory out of nowhere to gain a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
During the first T20I of the ongoing Australia’s tour of England in Southampton, England registered a 2-run victory in a match which they seemed to be losing for most part of the second losing.
Chasing a 163-run target, Australia were off to a potentially match-winning 98-run opening partnership as David Warner (58) and captain Aaron Finch (46) continued to tease the opposition bowling attack in white-ball cricket.
When Finch was dismissed in the 11th over, Australia required 65 runs in nine overs with nine wickets in hand – something which they would have easily achieved on most other days.
However, what followed today was a few ordinary shots and a rusty batting display by their middle-order. Barring the opening batsmen, it was evident that the visiting batsmen are short on competitive cricket in the last six months or so.
From needing 36 runs to win in the last five overs, the situation eventually boiled down to all-rounder Marcus Stoinis needing to score 15 runs in the last over against Tom Curran which he struggled to do so as Australia could manage 160-6 in 20 overs.
With bowling figures of 4-0-29-2, England spinner Adil Rashid was the pick of their bowlers. Other than Rashid, the fast bowling-duo of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood picked two and one wicket each.
Earlier, it was Finch who won the toss and invited the home team to bat first. It was on the back of Dawid Malan’s seventh T20I half-century that England scored a competitive 162/2 in their allotted quota of 20 overs.
Twitter reactions on England snaffling victory vs Australia:
An unbelievable fightback from our bowlers!#ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/50INdbXowC
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 4, 2020
Australia first 10.5 overs – 98 for 0
Australia last 9.1 overs – 62 for 6#ENGvAUS #Cricket— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) September 4, 2020
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) September 4, 2020
Australia needed 65 runs off 55 balls with 10 wickets in hand. England win by two runs! #EngvAus
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 4, 2020
England across any format know how to win Arse nippers …..
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 4, 2020
Well, Australia stuffed that up. Primary school stuff. #ENGvAUS
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) September 4, 2020
Oh Australia……….
— Charles Dagnall (@CharlesDagnall) September 4, 2020
BOOM! Brilliant death bowling by @TC59, fantastic comeback win by England, & a deliciously enjoyable choke by Australia…! #ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/3gwuVgNCIC
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 4, 2020
What a game of cricket. Great captaincy from Morgan and bowling from Archer and Jordan, in particular. #ENGvAUS
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) September 4, 2020
Outstanding win!!! Brilliant come back @englandcricket #ENGvAUS 🙌👌
— James Taylor (@jamestaylor20) September 4, 2020
Ourstanding performance by @englandcricket ! Great character shown by the bowlers. What a fight. #ENGvAUS
— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11) September 4, 2020
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